Deshmukh's successor to be named on Dec 4

Mumbai, Dec 4: Congress Party on Thursday, Dec 4 will decide the sucessor of present Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Vilasrao Deshmukh. Senior party leaders External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee and Union Defence minister A K Antony are in Mumbai to meet the Congress MLAs and decide a successor to Deshmukh.

Maharashtra CM offered his resignation taking responsilbility of the Mumbai Terror Attacks. It took five long days for the Congress High Command finally decide and accept his resignation. Today the Congress observers and its ally in the state NCP (National Congress Party) will meet after which a successor will be named.

Soon after the news of Deshmukh's resignation was out heavy lobbying began for the post of Chief Minister in the ruling coalition. Sources say that Narayan Rane and Maharashtra Industry minister Ashok Chavan are the front-runners for the post. It is also learnt that only a Marata person will be taken into the post. Pranab and Antony will seek the views of the MLAs on the leadership issue in party's legislative meet.

Deshmukh also drew some criticism for surveying the damages at the Taj hotel with a filmmaker and his actor son Riteish in tow. Ironicaly the out going Chief Minister of Maharashtra is the third political casuality of the Mumbai Terror Attacs after Shivraj Patil, who quit as Union Home Minister and NCP's R R Patil who wad the state deputy Chief Minister as well as Home Minister.